Four people tried to bring a boatload of marijuana into the Dominican Republic near Cabo Pequeño and fled when two Dominican Navy units moved towards them.[1] The individuals fled by abandoning their boat after being spotted by two naval units of the Dominican Navy heading for them.[1] The Dominican Navy seized 645 kilograms of marijuana, about 1,422 pounds, off Cabo Pequeño near Isla Beata.[1] Diario Libre reported that the bales were aboard a foreign-registered boat of about 25 feet that the crew abandoned after naval units chased them.[2] Diario Libre reported that the load was contained in 27 sacks and weighed about 1,422 pounds.[3] Diario Libre’s account describes the marijuana as presumed, without a laboratory confirmation being reported.[2]

Naval and land units cordoned off the area to search for the four people, who fled after noticing the soldiers.[2] The navy handed the marijuana and other evidence to the National Directorate of Drug Control (DNCD) and to representatives of the Public Ministry of Pedernales province.[4] The marijuana was transferred to a naval unit and taken to Santo Domingo, and the boat was towed to the naval base on Beata Island.[1]

The navy said the pursuit was part of security measures ordered by the general commander of the navy during the reinforcement of the maritime border.[3] The interception followed the increased presence of armed forces along Haiti’s land and sea border with the Dominican Republic against smuggling, drug trafficking, firearms and illegal Haitian migrants.[1] The seizure was the fifth the Dominican Navy had carried out since the start of 2019 in support of the DNCD.[1]